


Cling To Me

by Snowy38



Category: Harry Styles - Fandom, Larry Stylinson - Fandom, Louis Tomlinson - Fandom, One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cute Harry, Did I Mention Fluff, Florist Harry, Fluff, Harry needs hugs, Hugs, Human Louis, Koala-Harry, M/M, Teacher Louis, Top Louis, hybrid!harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-17 02:45:31
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11266317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowy38/pseuds/Snowy38
Summary: "What do you want, Niall?"Louis figured he may as well get to the crux of the issue since Niall was known to argue from sun up to sun down until he got his way."I've got a friend."Louis frowned."Are you setting me up? Because no offence but-""No I'm not fucking setting you up!" Niall cut over him, sending him an accusing look. "Don't be so disgusting."Louis sighed and folded his arms."My friend. He's...well he's a hybrid. A half breed human. He's not a slave or a pet and he doesn't really need anything but-"Louis peered at him. There was always a but.





	Cling To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hi All!
> 
> Here's another little shortie, hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who helps me with ideas and who leaves me kudos and comments.
> 
> Credit to Yours Sincerely Larry for the graphic.
> 
> Ang

   

 

"Louis, I need a favour off ya..."

 

Niall Horan strode into Louis Tomlinson's house with an arrogance that was only charming on the Irish. Louis fell against the wall in making way and swung the door shut to follow his friend through to his living area.

 

Louis put his hands on his slim hips and cocked a brow.

 

"I haven't seen you since Uni," Louis pointed out.

 

"Not true," Niall argued. "Saw you at the game last year."

 

Louis bit his lip from pointing out that their last meeting had been more than a year ago and they weren't really friends. Not the kind who hung out on a regular basis anyway.

 

"What do you want, Niall?"

 

Louis figured he may as well get to the crux of the issue since Niall was known to argue from sun up to sun down until he got his way.

 

"I've got a friend."

 

Louis frowned. 

 

"Are you setting me up? Because no offence but-"

 

"No I'm not fucking setting you up!" Niall cut over him, sending him an accusing look. "Don't be so disgusting."

 

Louis sighed and folded his arms.

 

"My friend. He's...well he's a hybrid. A half breed human. He's not a slave or a pet and he doesn't really need anything but-"

 

Louis peered at him. _There was always a but._

 

"But?"

 

"But I've got to go home because Mam's had a fall and I can't leave Harry on his own."

 

Louis narrowed his eyes.

 

"How old is this guy, Niall?"

 

"Twenty two," Niall shrugged. "He's got a job and he's independent and he's clean it's just...I need to leave him here. With you."

 

"Why?" Louis asked. 

 

"Why _you_ or why do I need to leave him here?" Niall smirked.

 

Louis tilted his head.

 

"Both."

 

"Lou, look. You're a nice guy I know ya are. Ya won't bother him and ask him stupid questions and well...I might have lied. He kinda does need somethin'. Somethin' I usually give him and he needs it off someone else."

 

Louis made a disgusted face.

 

"This is beginning to sound tawdry."

 

"No, listen.." Niall moved to grasp Louis by the upper arms. "It's not tawdry. It's nothing about sex. It's just--it's hard to say it because it sounds funny, okay?"

 

Louis was thoughtful for a moment before he nodded with a swallow, his hands rubbing slowly together.

 

"Spit it out, Nialler," Louis reverted to his Uni nickname.

 

"Alright," Niall took a deep breath.  "He needs hugs."

 

Of all the things Louis had imagined this Harry fellow might need, hugs wasn't one of them.

 

"What?"

 

"See!" Niall stepped back and gestured with his hand toward Louis. "You think it's weird."

 

"No, I-"

 

"You do. It sounds funny. I knew it. I shouldn't have come here. I shouldn't have picked you as my guy to have my back when-"

 

Louis' hand curled around Niall's bicep as he tried to leave the room.

 

"I didn't say it was weird," Louis pointed out. "I was merely surprised..."

 

Niall's eyes flicked sideways, narrowing.

 

"You're thinking about doing it?"

 

Louis scoffed.  

 

"For fuck's sake Ni. The guy needs a few hugs, so what? Is he depressed or something?"

 

Niall smirked. His face changed then, from sceptical mistrust into something far more amused and delighted.

 

"Yeah, Lou. He's depressed." Niall smiled ruefully.

 

Louis' face changed too, into solemn determination.

 

"Well I'll do my best to cheer him up," he promised. "When's he getting here?"

 

"Tomorrow morning. I'll drop him off before I get the plane home." Niall headed for the door while Louis followed to see him out.

 

"That soon?" Louis mused, looking around the mess of his house with a resigned sigh. "Alright I'll tidy up tonight."

 

"Knew I could trust ya, Lou!" Niall called as he turned into the drive towards his car.

 

//

 

Harry hid behind Niall.

 

Well as much as he physically could because unfortunately despite his genetic mixed-breed he was tall and somewhat standout in appearance. 

 

He clutched his pink suitcase handle and dragged the case against his leg like a child with a particularly heavy holiday trunk.

 

"Niall? Are you sure he'll like me? Did you tell him-"

 

Niall pressed a thumb into the buzzer for Louis' house.

 

"Haz, I told him ok? He's fine with the hugging I promise ya..."

 

Harry swallowed and pressed himself into Nialls back as he heard a scuffle from the other side of the door. 

 

"Niall, take me with you," Harry pressed his cheek against Nialls shoulder just as the door swung open.

 

"Hi!" Louis greeted, extra loud and bright, his gaze drifting to Niall's face and darting over his shoulder briefly only to return to his face. 

 

Niall smiled wanly.

 

"Lou, this is Harry. Harry this is Louis that I was tellin' ya about. He can look after you while I'm away."

 

"Don't need looking after," Harry pouted, lifting his head.

 

The first thing he noticed about Louis was that he was short. He had tanned skin and a toothy white smile with soft, thin lips.

 

He was holding a forced smile as Harry ducked behind Niall's shoulder again,

 

The man was handsome, had lovely sharp cheekbones and jaw-line but his eyes were the softest blue, like a baby boy's blanket or those pearl blue marbles you got sometimes.

 

Harry tried to make himself small enough to disappear behind Niall's smaller form..

 

Louis was overwhelmingly good-looking. Harry would never be able to speak to him, to look him in the eye or-

 

"Haz, stop bein' silly," Niall reached behind to poke him in the side.

 

Harry jolted, swallowing as he shyly met Louis' gaze.

 

"H-Hi," he managed in a pouted huff.

 

Louis had nice hands, gentle looking with neat nails and a silent strength behind his movements as he clasped them together with another bright smile.

 

"You coming in then?" Louis asked.

 

Harry burrowed against Niall's back, causing the blonde man to roll his eyes to Louis.

 

"Oh," Louis paused, biting his lip. "You're scared."

 

Harry took a deep breath. He didn't usually have this problem with people. He worked in a shop all day, a little florists in the high street that was unusually popular. He might try and avoid talking too much and he never verbally promoted his shop but when people came in, he knew how to engage them. He had learnt from a young age that he could quite easily charm anyone he wished to, in fact.

 

And yet he had a fear. A fear borne of being rejected too many times, of being too needy and broken without his quota of hugs.

 

"I'm Louis," the handsome man said, taking another small step backwards into the house. "You'll be safe here, Harry," he assured. "I don't bite."

 

Harry finally stepped away from Niall and peeked at Louis.

 

Niall snorted.

 

"Can't usually shut you up," he teased, ruffling Harry's hair.

 

Harry's eyes didn't leave Louis' face, trying to work out his nature from staring alone. He looked at Niall, eyes imploring.

 

"Haz, come on," Niall murmured quietly. "Louis' a good guy ok? I wouldn't leave ya with anyone who wasn't nice, alright?"

 

Harry swallowed and nodded, re-balancing the weight of his case.

 

"Let me bring that into your room," Louis reached forward with one small hand. "While you say goodbye to Niall..."

 

Harry eyed him for a long moment and eventually plopped his case on the ground between them, turning to hug his house-mate tightly.

 

"Ni, I need hugs," he whispered.

 

Harry had needed hugs since the day some scientists had decided that blending human DNA with animal DNA was a good idea. He had been created along with an array of other hybrids but he had never met another of his kind. Harry was unique.

 

He was part- koala.

 

A life-sized, over-grown teddy bear, really.

 

And it freaked people out sometimes, it-

 

"He knows," Niall rubbed his back. "He's good for it, I promise."

 

Harry pulled away and tried not to cry.

 

"Come home soon?" He begged.

 

Niall grinned and nodded.

 

"I'll call you every day, how's that?"

 

Harry managed a shaky smile.

 

"Right!" Louis clapped his hands as he bounced back to the doorway. "Ready to settle in?"

 

Harry turned inside as Louis and Niall had a quick conversation and then Louis shut the door behind him to look at Harry slouching in his hallway, huddling into the wall as if it might camouflage his existence.

 

"Let me show you to your room," Louis suggested softly.

 

//

 

 

"Nice space buns by the way." Louis commented as Harry wandered into the guest room Louis had made up.

 

It was simple and beautiful and it already felt a bit like home. It felt like the home he'd had with his mother. It was a rare opportunity he'd managed to live with her at all compared to some hybrids but he'd stayed with her until she was too ill to care for him.

 

When Anne had passed away he'd been lost for a while, distraught without her comfort and much-needed physical presence but then he'd found other hybrids to cuddle with and eventually he'd found Niall.

 

Or Niall had found him.

 

Loud and brash and stomping his way into Harry's shop to ask for flowers for his girlfriend, Harry had struck up a quick and close friendship with the Irish man who loved hugs almost as much as he did.

 

"They're ears," Harry replied to Louis' comment with a sad smile. "Not space buns."

 

Louis looked bemused.

 

"They're what?"

 

"Ears," Harry repeated. "I'm a hybrid. Didn't Niall tell you?" He checked worriedly.

 

Louis' lashes brushed over his eyes, once and then twice.

 

"A hy-brid?"

 

Louis recalled something faintly from Niall's opening speech but in truth, he hadn't been listening that closely.

 

"You know...like human kittens and puppies." Harry shrugged.

 

Louis stared, head tilted slightly.

 

"Not seen a kitten hybrid like you," he said.

 

Harry swallowed, his voice becoming small.

 

"I'm a bear."

 

"A....a bear?" Louis enquired, licking his lips, his eyes flicking back up to Harry's soft, curled hair to verify his claim. "A bear."

 

"Mm-hm," Harry hummed, eyes around Louis' knee level.

 

"What kind of-" Louis bit off his words, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Never mind, it's none of my business."

 

"Did-Did Niall tell  you about-"

 

"Ah, the hugging," Louis nodded with a smile. "He did. Totally here for you anytime you need a hug, buddy..."

 

Harry stared at him.

 

"You're really-"

 

"Absolutely," Louis assured. "Just think of me as the new Niall."

 

Harry blinked.

 

"Okay."

 

"Okay," Louis echoed, clearing his throat. "I, uh...I actually have to get to work now. Do you need anything? A lift anywhere?"

 

Harry shook his head.

 

"I walk."

 

"Alright. See you later, then," Louis parted.

 

//

 

Harry's favourite food was melted marshmallows or strawberries dipped in chocolate.

 

His favourite outfit was a soft t-shirt and jeans.

 

His favourite flower was the freesia; delicate and exquisite in its beauty.

 

He loved to draw, too. All kinds of pictures from flowers to animals to landscapes. He was trying to draw Louis; sketch pad wide open on the kitchen table while he waited for the other man to come home but he couldn't get the details right so he softened the edges and smudged out the parts he didn't know off by heart yet.

 

"Harry, I'm home!" Louis' loud voice sounded from the hallway, the front door thudding shut.

 

Harry looked up from his sketch-pad, his eyes widening in panic. He quickly scrambled to cover his artwork, his breath catching in his lungs. He looked around the kitchen and there was nowhere to run, nowhere to-

 

Louis sauntered into the kitchen, eyes scanning the room.

 

"Oh," he said when he spotted Harry hunching up behind his giant potted palm.

 

Louis' eyes flicked from the drawing-pad on the table, back towards Harry, pausing on him with an open gaze.

 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

 

"It's-" Harry frowned.

 

 _No_.

 

He wasn't allowed to say.

 

People left when he told them the truth. He scared them with his creepy habits.

 

Louis ventured closer.

 

"Is it um-Is it your animal breeding that makes you afraid?"

 

Harry looked at him through the fronds of the palm.

 

"No."

 

"Oh," Louis nodded, chewing lightly on his lower lip, seemingly cautious to proceed with the conversation from Harry's abrupt answer.

 

"Yes," he altered with an awkward shrug. "I don't know? Maybe..."

 

Louis' eyes moved over the rest of the kitchen, his gaze falling on the fridge.

 

"Shall I start some dinner? What do you like?"

 

"Marshmallows," Harry replied honestly.

 

Louis turned, opening the fridge door with amusement dancing in his blue eyes.

 

"A man after my own heart. Anything else on your wish list?"

 

"Chocolate-dipped strawberries."

 

"Bit of a sweet tooth, eh?" Louis leaned into the fridge and Harry had to edge out from behind the houseplant to keep sight of him; to watch the way his curvy little body moved into a different position.

 

Louis turned back and caught him halfway out of his safe-space. His eyes flicked over him and the corners of his mouth turned up.

 

"How about egg and chips?" Louis suggested.

 

Harry beamed.

 

"Okay."

 

Louis smiled, too, opening the freezer door to pull out the chips and setting the oven to pre-heat. Harry carefully stepped into the main kitchen space and hovered near the table, finger trailing down the edge of his sketchbook.

 

When Louis had put the chips in the oven he turned and looked at Harry with a bright smile.

 

"Hug time?" He opened his arms.

 

Harry frowned, alarmed.

 

"Um..."

 

Louis' smile faltered. Harry hated the way his face looked crest-fallen and disappointed.

 

"I know I'm not Niall but I'm an equally good hugger," he said, his tone bordering on miffed. " _If not better_ ," he added quietly.

 

Harry _needed_ hugs. He needed what Louis was offering, without it he was prone to being emotional, to getting down, even.

 

He moved slowly, kind of reluctant at first.

 

"I suppose," he mumbled. "Okay..."

 

When he bent to curl Louis close, though, everything changed. Louis's arms went around him bear-like and squeezed hard. Not too hard to hurt or to be insincere, but hard enough for Harry to feel cared-about and welcome here.

 

He felt himself relax a bit in the other man's arms, Louis' hand rubbing a bit on his shoulders.

 

"You'll be okay, Harry," he said and Harry found the statement puzzling because, well, of course he'd be okay. Once he'd had his daily fix of body-to-body contact then things would roll on in much the same fashion as they always did.

 

"Yeah" he murmured as he pulled away shyly, dipping his chin. "Thank you, Louis."

 

"Take your sketch-book off the table so it doesn't get dirty," Louis told him with a smile as he turned to the stove to start the frying pan on heat.

 

Harry took his drawings to his room.

 

//

 

"What do you know about bears?"

 

Liam slid his gaze sideways to his best friend, sat next to him on the faculty sofa while they had a coffee-break at work.

 

Louis had been a University lecturer for two years now and Liam was his partner in crime.

 

"What?"

 

"Bears," Louis repeated.

 

Liam knocked the Kit-Kat out of Louis' fingers that he was about to start eating and grabbed it before he could get a bite.

 

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Liam asked as Louis conveyed his indignation with a high-pitched 'hey!'.

 

Louis tutted and reached for his now half-eaten kit-kat, pinching Liam's thigh in retort.

 

"I'm taking care of someone," he admitted quietly, avoiding Liam's gaze.

 

Liam paused to look at him.

 

"Really?"

 

Louis smirked.

 

"Really."

 

"What do bears have to do with anything?" Liam asked, snatching back the last bite of the chocolate.

 

Louis elbowed him in retaliation.

 

"He's a hybrid," Louis shared boldly. "Part bear apparently."

 

"What kind of bear?" Liam asked and Louis' foot flicked out to strike his ankle.

 

"I don't know I didn't ask, it's not exactly polite etiquette to ask a guy a question like that is it?"

 

Liam pouted, curling his foot away from Louis.

 

"Just thought it might help us to work out what he needs."

 

Louis sighed.

 

"Yeah, I guess it would."

 

Liam smiled.

 

"Just ask him, Lou. I'm sure he won't mind. He's probably used to it."

 

The fact that Harry might be used to people asking him what kind of bear he was didn't fill Louis with reassurance but it was true he'd need to find out more if he had any hope of looking after him properly.

 

//

 

Harry had froth on his upper lip.

 

It was cute, was the thing. And each time he sipped and licked his lip, it stayed there, temptingly kissable and sticky sweet. He'd made Harry a hot chocolate with the little marsh-mallows and he was apparently smitten with his drink.

 

Louis stirred his tea and turned sideways on the sofa, one leg folded under him.

 

"So."

 

Harry peeked at him, all curly lashes and green eyes.

 

Louis tried not to take Harry's fear of him personally. He guessed it was more a fear of _humans_ ; although he'd watched Harry converse quite intimately with his next-door neighbour when he'd come home; much to his chagrin.

 

"How did you get into flowers?" Louis asked.

 

Harry's hand fluffed his wavy hair, his ears small and barely noticeable among the curls but they moved a little, reminding Louis that they _were_ there, that furry ears were a _thing_.

 

"I've just always loved them. It made sense to open a florist shop."

 

Louis leaned into the sofa, watching as Harry curled his legs up; wrapping his arms around them.

 

"What about you?" Harry asked, shooting Louis a look.

 

Louis smiled.

 

"I'm a professor at the University," Louis shared. "I teach drama."

 

Harry smiled, too.

 

"Really? You teach drama?"

 

Louis nodded.

 

"Yep. As challenging and rewarding as it sounds," he mused.

 

Harry nodded, his smile fading as he chewed on his lip. His eyes became watery and he ducked his head a bit to hide.

 

"Hey, you okay?" Louis put his tea down and leaned forwards.

 

Harry nodded but turned his face away; pressing his cheek against his knee.

 

"Harry?"

 

Louis' hand curled around his shoulder and Harry softened a bit, his tight breathing calming a little. Harry twitched when Louis' hand curled around his bear-ear and petted it gently.

 

"Do you want to go home?" Louis asked. "Back to the place you share with Niall?"

 

Harry shook his head and he felt Louis' hand fall away.

 

"I'm a hybrid koala," he said quietly, slowly bringing his face around to peek at Louis.

 

Louis' brows lifted in interest.

 

"Oh."

 

"Do you know what they are?"

 

Louis smiled and nodded.

 

"They cling to the trees..."

 

"Yeah," Harry frowned. "Cling. Annoying."

 

Louis studied him quietly, reaching for his tea to take a sip.

 

"It's not annoying," Louis said. "It's cute."

 

Harry shook his head.

 

"Everyone thinks that. Everyone thinks it's cute at first and then-"

 

Louis watched Harry slip his feet to the floor; seemingly preparing to stand.

 

"Harry..." Louis frowned as he watched him stand up and make for the door, his chin dipped low.

 

"It's stupid," Harry declared, the words getting stuck in his throat. "I _need_ to be hugged. I need to be hugged and if I don't then- I just-I get upset. It's so stupid."

 

Louis blinked, standing up.

 

"But everyone needs a hug sometimes."

 

"Not _all_ the time though," Harry exasperated.

 

Louis strode forward until he had his arms around Harry; arms and all. Harry froze.

 

"What are you doing?" He whispered.

 

Louis smushed his cheek against Harry's chest.

 

"Hugging you."

 

Harry guessed it didn't matter much to Louis that they didn't know each other. And something strange happened. His body felt weird. It felt different than usual, different than when Niall hugged him or his Mum hugged him when he was little.

 

"Louis..." He whispered, tense and afraid.

 

"Hm."

 

Harry didn't know what to say. Louis didn't even know him well enough to care about him in the barest sense of the word and yet his skin felt warm and content.

 

"I can't move my arms," he mused.

 

Louis pulled away and looked up. Harry looked down, his view now of the most beautiful man he'd ever seen. It was still highly intimidating to look at him and to have Louis look back.

 

"Thank you," he expressed softly, the words laden with meaning.

 

Louis smiled brightly.

 

"Anytime. All you need to do is ask."

 

Harry smiled awkwardly.

 

"Not that easy when you're me."

 

Louis nodded gesturing his chin to the sofa.

 

"Come and finish your hot chocolate. The marshmallows will be melting away."

 

Harry looked at him with softness in his eyes and then smiled slowly, heading for the sofa to curl up with his drink.

 

Louis watched him with a warmth in his chest he couldn't define.

 

//

 

"Are you a morning hugger or an evening hugger?"

 

Louis chewed on his toast thoughtfully, loudly slurping his tea.

 

After merely two days Louis was already past the guest-manners stage and back to his messy self.

 

Harry flicked his eyes to the smaller man.

 

"I don't think it matters."

 

"We can do two a day if you wanted..."

 

Harry smiled, ducking his face.

 

"I don't want to be a nuisance."

 

The way Louis was accommodating his hug-requirement was something to be awed at. Harry awed at him anyway but Louis wasn't like the others. He really _didn't_ mind. Harry knew that might change. It always changed. Two days to a week was a novelty. If they got to two weeks would he feel the same?

 

"So um." Louis sipped his tea.

 

Harry lifted his brows in silent prompt.

 

Louis cleared his throat.

 

"Er...you don't have you know, um, someone to like...hug all the time? Someone special?" Louis ventured.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"No."

 

"No er...female bear?" He posed with a strange quirk of his lips that Harry hadn't seen before.

 

"Female bear?" He repeated dumbly.

 

"Er-hybrid," Louis coughed, his cheeks flushed if Harry had judged correctly.

 

"Oh. Um. I'm the only bear hybrid around," he explained slowly. "That we know of, I mean there haven't been any other bear-humans sighted and-"

 

Louis stared with his mouth open, tea halfway to his lips. When Harry stopped talking suddenly; he snapped his mouth shut.

 

"Oh, you're unique," Louis hummed, sipping his tea. "I'm surprised you don't have more people trying to kidnap you."

 

Harry stared at him, wide green eyes framed with curled lashes.

 

"Lou, nobody wants me," he said, eyes broken and face crumpled. "Nobody wants the upkeep of having to hug me morning, noon and night for the sake of it. Like who wants that, really?"

 

Louis' face became solemn and the small feet he'd had rested on the chair seat where his knees were bent up to his chest, slipped to the floor.

 

"Three times a day?" Louis said and Harry turned his face away, cheeks flaming as tears came to his eyes. It had been less than twelve hours since his last embrace and yet he was getting upset already. Probably because he'd spent whole evenings laid with Niall on the sofa cuddling before he'd come to Louis and two-minute exchanges weren't quite the same but it was still ultimately humiliating the way he couldn't control his emotions because of some stupid gene.

 

"Hey," Louis got up and curled arms around his upper body, pulling Harry against his midriff gently; combing fingers through his hair and tucking gentle fingertips over his furry ears. "Don't cry, Harry. You should have just told me," he sighed. "Niall made out it was just something you needed sometimes when you were feeling down but-"

 

Harry snorted and hiccupped amid his tears.

 

"We can do two at least, okay? A longer one at night maybe?"

 

Harry nodded and let out a shaky sigh, his arms clinging around Louis' waist. Louis could have pulled away or peeled Harry off but he stroked his hair until his sniffles slowed down to nearly nothing.

 

"And Louis?"

 

Louis stepped away carefully and tilted his head.

 

"Hm?"

 

"I'm not into _females_ all that much anyway," Harry offered quietly.

 

Louis couldn't explain why that news ran fast around his veins with whizzing excitement. He cleared his throat.

 

"Oh. I see. Same here," he murmured, then more brightly, "Can I drop you at work?"

 

Harry huffed and nodded, creeping from the room to get ready.

 

//

 

Harry always got home first in the evenings because the florist shop closed at three unless he had a rush on and then he'd stay open for another hour to cover the extra work required.

 

He usually heard Louis come in, would usually be slightly more prepared for his entrance and he'd trained himself out of dashing to hide behind the nearest thing in sudden fear of his arrival.

 

But Louis caught him by surprise that night. He had melted some chocolate to dip his strawberries into and planned to set them in the fridge while he took a shower and he'd just pulled on some soft, marl sweats and a grey t-shirt in his room when Louis called out; leaving him panicked as he heard the other man advance into the house.

 

"Shit!" He gasped, eyes going wide as he looked around the room for somewhere to hide, for somewhere to-

 

"Harry?" A knock sounded on his bedroom door. "You in there? Is everything okay?"

 

Harry got to his knees and pressed his belly to the floor, sliding sideways to cram his long body underneath the wooden bed frame in the room. It was a bit dusty and dark under there but he felt safe, now. He felt-

 

"Haz, are you alright?" Louis called again. "Can I come in?"

 

Harry didn't know whether to call out or to-

 

"Harry?" The door clicked open a tiny slither. "Are you asleep or knocked out bleeding on the bathroom floor?" He murmured. "I need to know which."

 

"H-hiding," he replied, deep and soft.

 

The door didn't widen any further.

 

"Can I come in?"

 

"Okay," Harry sighed, trying to shift from under the bed before Louis found him, before he saw-

 

"Oh," Louis froze on the spot as Harry- _strewn in dust_ \- crawled from under the bed.

 

Harry curled into a sitting position, folding his legs and placing his hands in his lap to play with.

 

He felt Louis watch him for a long moment and then he moved slowly; quietly sitting beside him and leaning his back against the bed frame.

 

"Novel way of dusting," Louis said, looking over.

 

Harry looked up, turning his face towards Louis.

 

"I like to do a thorough job."

 

Louis grinned at his joke.

 

"Do I scare you that much?" Louis wondered then, face creasing.

 

Harry swallowed; rubbing his thumb into the palm of his other hand.

 

"You-You're-"

 

Louis shifted up and slipped an arm around Harry's waist.

 

Harry turned his face away slightly.

 

"I'm waiting for my hug is what I am," Louis murmured.

 

Harry couldn't help turning towards him and curling his body over to clasp Louis in his arms; his long legs stretching out and bending to accommodate the change in position.

 

Louis rolled back a bit with a happy smile, his cheek pressed hard into Harry's shoulder.

 

Harry comforted himself, his ankles tucking inside Louis', overlapping their legs and bringing Harry cradle-style into Louis' arms.

 

"Hey," Louis' chin pressed into Harry's hair as he ducked it lower. "Free hugs anytime, yeah?"

 

Harry sighed out, letting his body relax.

 

"Yeah."

 

Louis rubbed his cheek against the soft hair that coated Harry's little koala ears.

 

"I like your bear hugs," he said with a smirk at the pun.

 

Harry huffed out, clinging to Louis tightly.

 

"It's not annoying yet."

 

It was a statement, not a question and Louis only held him tighter in reply.

 

//

 

 

Someone had come to the shop with a camera.

 

A camera and a lot of questions about Harry's breeding; about his life and who owned him.

 

Harry hadn't had anyone make him feel unsafe in a long time; with the exception of Louis but that was for entirely different reasons.

 

He didn't know who to call at first because Niall was out of town and he hated to bother Louis but he hated to bother the authorities more so he had no choice.

 

He'd burrowed himself between his flower-bins; climbing to the top ledge and covering himself with a trailing fern while the man with the camera observed him, having shut the shop door and turning the sign to 'Closed'.

 

The shop didn't stay closed for long when Louis ripped open the door and surged in breathlessly.

 

"Who the fuck are you?" Louis asked the stranger, eyes immediately zeroing on his camera.

 

He stalked over and snatched it from his hand, pushing his other hand to the man's chest as he tried to fetch it back.

 

"You don't get anything until you answer me. Who are you?"

 

The man looked down at him with a sickening smile.

 

"A collector if you must know."

 

"A collector of what?" Louis' gaze narrowed.

 

He looked around the room quickly and his heart stopped palpitating when he found Harry's curled form on the framework; hiding behind his plants.

 

"Rare breeds," the man in front of Louis replied to his question, his hand pushing forward to reach for his camera again.

 

"Ah!" Louis tutted, hopping back on quick feet and opening the history to delete the shots he had on there. "Don't think you'll be needing these..."

 

The man glared at him, teeth clenching.

 

"He belongs to you then? You're the one I need to pay?"

 

Louis made a disgusted face.

 

"You're not paying anything because he's not for sale, dickhead," Louis shoved the camera back into his chest. "I suggest you take your camera and fuck off before I call the cops, pal..."

 

The man paused for a long moment.

 

"He's yours?" He asked again, breaths slewing in and out.

 

Louis looked him right in the eye when he replied.

 

"He's mine."

 

The man sighed and turned for the door, rushing through it and pulling it up haphazardly behind him.

 

Louis walked over to the corner and tilted his head at a hiding Harry.

 

"Hey."

 

Harry peeked at him.

 

"Hi."

 

"You coming down?" Louis asked.

 

Harry's face pushed out of the fronds of the plant covering his face.

 

"You told him I belong to you."

 

Louis' brows lifted and his lips parted. Harry's gaze went over his face, his pretty, masculine face.

 

"I just said that to get him to go, Harry," Louis apologised softly. "I didn't mean it. Of course you're not a thing to be owned..."

 

Harry stared at him, mind filled with thoughts and none of them made any sense. A part of him deep down somewhere inside, wanted to be Louis'. Wanted to belong to him. He didn't know why that part of him suddenly existed when he'd never felt the urge to be owned before.

 

"Oh," he nodded with a little hitched breath. "Okay."

 

Louis put his arms out to catch Harry as he unfurled from his protected position, climbing carefully down and into Louis' arms.

 

"Does it happen often?" Louis asked as he swayed Harry side to side slightly.

 

"Him?" Harry nosed into his neck, closing his eyes. Louis smelled like sweat and books.

 

"People. Trying to get you." Louis expressed.

 

Harry sighed, his breath escaping down the gap between Louis' neck and his collarbones.

 

"Sometimes."

 

"How much is sometimes?" Louis rubbed his back with a concerned frown that Harry couldn't see.

 

"I-"

 

"Harry!"

 

The door to the shop burst open and a skinny Asian boy stood there panting, his black shock of hair a ruffled mess.

 

"Are you okay?" The man asked as he walked in and Harry reluctantly uncurled from where he'd been pressed into Louis' body.

 

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay," he quickly assured, flicking Louis a look as Zayn came closer to hug him. "Louis, this is Zayn, he owns the art shop on the corner..."

 

Louis watched the two men embrace and forced a polite smile onto his lips. If he had to swallow three times to make that happen, nobody had to know.

 

"Hi," Louis greeted, fidgeting a bit. "I'm Louis, I-"

 

"You're looking after him," Zayn turned and smiled at him, sticking out a hand which Louis shook. "I try my best but-"

 

"I'm okay," Harry assured.

 

"I just heard," Zayn shared. "Mikey next door said he saw Louis come in and some guy go crashing out. You should have called me, Haz."

 

Louis' gaze flicked over the other man, inner jealousy stoked at his effortless urban style and obvious stunning good looks. He knew Harry didn't have a boyfriend but--could this guy be a romantic interest?

 

Not that he cared, of course. It didn't matter to him who Harry's romantic interest was since he was just flat-mate sitting at the most.

 

 _Yeah_.

 

"I didn't want to bother you," Harry replied. "I didn't want to bother anyone really but I'd rather call Lou than the police because sometimes they ask me questions about my being here and-"

 

"You did the right thing," Louis chirped up, holding Harry's gaze. "You can call me anytime. For anything," he added quickly.

 

Zayn peered at him with the flicker of a smile around his lips.

 

"Looks like Niall hired you a bodyguard, not just a house mate," Zayn mused.

 

Louis opened his mouth to refute that claim but the other lad twisted to walk to the door.

 

"Want to have dinner after work?" Zayn asked.

 

Harry bit his lip, torn. He flicked his eyes to Louis.

 

"Louis is welcome, too," Zayn added with an amused smirk.

 

"Lou?" Harry appealed to him with those beautiful green eyes of his.

 

"Sure," he nodded. "See you in a bit?"

 

Zayn nodded too and shut the door gently behind him.

 

//

 

Louis helped Harry put away the remaining flowers for the next day; sweeping the shop floor and tidying the shelves of ribbons and gift bags before rubbing his hands on the front of his jeans, turning to look for Harry.

 

He was in his little apron; curved over the work-bench, busily depicting something in charcoal.

 

"Haz?" Louis called with a soft smile.

 

Harry looked up, swallowing as he carefully closed his sketch pad.

 

"I'm ready," he assured, standing and untying his apron before straightening out his clothes. "Shall we go?"

 

Louis automatically reached a hand forth; as if they had done this a hundred times and as if holding hands was a perfectly comfortable thing for them to do. He frowned at himself right away, caught between withdrawing the gesture and bolding it out.

 

"Not sure what I was-"

 

Harry reached for his hand and clasped it, firm but gentle.

 

"Thanks, Lou," he smiled. "You're getting to know when I need it now, aren't you?"

 

Louis blinked, chest burning.

 

"Niall held your hand?" Was what came out of his mouth.

 

Harry giggled, locking the front door of the shop one-handed.

 

"No."

 

Then-

 

Louis darted him a look but Harry had a flushed, dimpled smile on his face and he was shyly avoiding looking at him so Louis guessed the hand-holding meant much more than _just_ holding hands. He decided not to think about it too much and let Harry lead him towards Zayn's shop.

 

The other man was leaned against the wall beside the front fascia; one foot propped up and a cigarette cupped under his hand.

 

When he looked up, his deep brown eyes flicked over the pair of them, settling on their joined hands with an interested brow arch.

 

"You two ready?" He asked.

 

Harry nodded and they walked onwards together.

 

//

 

When they got home later that evening, Louis padded into the kitchen in his socks to make a hot drink before bed.

 

"Did your work mind about you leaving?" Harry asked, sliding onto one of the kitchen chairs and picking up the salt shaker to fiddle with it.

 

Louis twisted to glance at him.

 

"I'd finished my lectures for the day. I was just doing some research for an improvisation for my students to perform for their next assignment."

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Thank you for coming, Louis."

 

Louis came over with two mugs of instant chocolate, Harry's topped with marshmallows.

 

"I meant what I said earlier, Haz. Anytime. Honestly."

 

Harry sipped his drink, his tongue curling up to lash over his bowed top lip, scooping up the melted mallow. Louis watched the movement with avid eyes; his lips falling open in awe of the man sat at his table.

 

"If you need anything, I'm here, too," Harry offered earnestly.

 

Louis nodded and finished his tea.

 

"I'm off to bed. Do you want your cuddles now?"

 

Harry stood up from the kitchen table and walked around towards Louis as he turned back from the sink.

 

Louis embraced him tenderly with a smile.

 

"I'm glad you're safe, little bear."

 

Harry huffed out an amused breath and shuffled closer, arms tightening around the smaller man.

 

"I kind of like this," Louis mused. "Not sure how I'll get my fix when Niall gets back."

 

Harry's smile faded as the thought entered his mind of going home. His hugs with Niall might be more practiced and easy but there was something about the way Louis held him that he was slowly becoming attached to.

 

"Maybe I can still come by just to top you up," Harry breathed as he pulled away.

 

Louis smiled wanly and brushed by him.

 

"I'm off to bed now, goodnight, Haz."

 

Harry turned and watched him walk out of the room.

 

//

 

"How's your Mum?"

 

Harry was on the phone to Niall, his daily check-in with the Irish man.

 

"She's doing okay," he assured. "Nothing new from yesterday," he added.

 

"I like to at least ask," Harry teased.

 

"I appreciate it mate," Niall said. "How's things with you?"

 

"I'm good," Harry supplied, missing out the hundred details that were rammed in his mind.

 

"How's Louis treatin' ya? Is he giving you enough hugs?"

 

"I get two a day," Harry's voice became unconsciously soft.

 

"Two?" Niall scoffed. "He's outdoing me. Quality over quantity though, eh," his friend joked.

 

"Yeah," Harry hummed. "He-he held my hand, too."

 

Niall's end of the line went strangely quiet. Harry lifted his phone to check the connection. Still connected.

 

"Ni?"

 

"He's got a crush on ya, has he?" Niall eventually spoke.

 

Harry blushed, thankful Niall couldn't see.

 

"No, he just-he knew I needed it, he-"

 

"He likes ya," Niall decided.

 

Harry cleared his throat, picking at the edge of the sofa cushion in his lap.

 

"It wouldn't be horrible if he did..."

 

Niall's loud cackle startled him and he pulled the phone away from his ear before venturing it slowly back towards his ear.

 

"Ya fancy him!" Niall accused happily. "Oh my god, I'm the perfect match-maker!"

 

Harry rolled his eyes and waited for his friend to calm down.

 

"He's nice, okay," He said firmly, not giving in to the teasing. "He's nice and I like him, what's wrong with that?"

 

Harry could hear Niall's smirk.

 

"I hope you're very happy together," Niall said and ended the call before Harry could make a retort.

 

//

 

 

Louis was having difficulty getting to sleep lately. 

 

He worried constantly about Harry's safety and happiness and of course, his health.

 

He was also mildly addicted to their recent habit of cuddling on the sofa and he found it harder and harder to say goodnight.

 

Harry would usually drift upstairs after him, somewhat a lost lamb without its mother.

 

One night, Harry hovered near Louis' door when they bid goodnight and Louis had asked him;

 

"You want to snuggle up together?"

 

Harry had shook his head and gone to the guest room quietly while Louis' chest smarted at the rejection.

 

But later, when the songbirds were waking up and Louis was nowhere near sleep, Harry had opened his bedroom door and whispered into the gap.

 

"Louis? Are you awake?"

 

Louis flopped onto his back.

 

"Get in here Haz," he slurred sleepily.

 

Harry shut the door quietly behind him and tiptoed across the room in his fuzzy panda pyjamas. Louis was sure they were chosen out of irony but he was too tired to care.

 

Harry wriggled under the duvet, huffing out as he moulded himself into Louis' side. 

 

"I heard funny noises," Harry mumbled. 

 

"Probably me chewing on my own arm," Louis joked. The air was static and quiet. 

 

"I was afraid," Harry added.

 

Louis immediately wrapped him up, curling a leg over his.

 

"It's okay little bear. Louis the big bad wolf will destroy any enemies out to get to you."

 

Harry snorted and settled his dimpled cheek into Louis' chest.

 

"Lou?"

 

"Hm?"

 

"Why weren't you asleep?"

 

Louis could lie of course. He could pretend that his sleep issues were due to work problems or money problems or just plain life problems but-

 

"Worrying about you, mostly," he blurted.

 

Harry's head lifted off his chest.

 

"Me?" He appealed with big green eyes.

 

Louis smiled, hand placed gently on his back.

 

"Yeah."

 

"Why do you worry about me?" He asked.

 

Louis lifted his brows, a laugh not quite pushing through his lips.

 

"Maybe the fact that some guy tried to perve over you in the shop and you're scared to even be here alone with me?" Louis suggested.

 

Harry's face turned distraught.

 

"No, I'm not scared of you," he denied immediately, leaning into Louis a bit more. "I just- at first, I didn't know you and I know how people can--I know I'm too much of a burden sometimes and-"

 

"Harry." Louis said his name softly to cut through the babble.

 

Harry rolled over and flopped onto his back with a huff.

 

"And I talk too much."

 

Louis looked over, wrapping his fingers around Harry's wrist gently.

 

"I still like you," he said, courage surging forth and constricting his lungs.

 

"Y-you do?" Harry turned to look at him, one ear crushed into the pillow.

 

Louis rolled over to pet the other one.

 

"I do."

 

Harry closed his eyes, a little sigh escaping his lips that told Louis he liked having his ears touched; liked having his hair played with and being petted in general.

 

"C'mon then, where's my cuddle?" He murmured as Harry began to drift off.

 

After that night, Harry snuck in to share his bed every night.

 

//

 

"Liam, I've got a problem;" Louis plonked himself onto the faculty sofa with a pot noodle and looked at his friend pleadingly.

 

"I can't actually help you until I know what the problem is," Liam pointed out.

 

"It's Harry," Louis said only.

 

Liam's gaze flicked to him.

 

"Is he okay? Did something happen again?"

 

Louis slurped up some of his instant noodles.

 

"I think I'm falling for him," he stated matter-of-factly, not as hysterical about that fact as he probably should be.

 

Liam stared.

 

"What? Lou-"

 

"Yeah, I know," Louis rolled his eyes. "He's a bear. Well half a bear. Not even half, really, just the ears, but-"

 

"I'm not even going to say anything about him being a hybrid," Liam tutted. "I just mean-"

 

"Three weeks," Louis gritted his teeth. "I know that too."

 

"No, you idiot," Liam fondly swatted his thigh. "You haven't liked anyone for-how long has it been, actually?"

 

Louis sighed and rolled his eyes, his arms crossing defensively over his chest.

 

"It's not like there's been a rush of suitable men to date, Liam," Louis remarked acidly.

 

"There's been guys to date, Lou," he murmured. "Just you didn't like any of 'em."

 

"Exactly," Louis swallowed. "And now I do."

 

"Then do something," Liam encouraged.

 

"Like what?" Louis asked.

 

"Have you tried kissing him?" Liam suggested with an amused smirk.

 

Louis  thought about that notion for too long.

 

"I'm working on it."

 

"Better work faster, mate. You don't know when Niall might get back."

 

It was true. From their conversations, the situation with Niall's Mum was a day by day basis. He could be back in a few short days should she have recovered fully from her fall.

 

He felt an internal sand-timer begin to ebb away.

 

//

 

 

Harry wasn't home when Louis got in early on Friday.

 

He'd been released to draw up class plans for one of the other teachers he would be covering for six weeks and he'd convinced them he could work undistracted from home. Louis could lie fantastically well when required.

 

He'd showered and shaved and blow-dried his hair, combing it into a silky style and changing into his sweats and a vest; mooching into the kitchen to find something to cook for dinner that might impress Harry more than the usual frozen dinners.

 

Magically, food had begun appearing in the fridge and although he wasn't a cook, he could follow a cook-book and so he began on his venture to make pasta and minced beef.

 

He'd seen Harry's sketch book on the table on the way in; large leaves of paper overlapping across the wooden surface, some charcoal, pencil or inked outlines. He could see flashes of colour on the sheets laid underneath though and it drew his curiosity closer, moving around the table to get a proper look.

 

The first two pages were drawings of the garden; of the plants in Louis' house and the stray cat he had half-adopted that Harry always glared at when it passed the patio doors.

 

Louis had stopped feeding the cat after that and it seemed to have found its way home.

 

The next two sheets were charcoal, smudged and beautiful and--

 

They were of _him_. Louis. Not precise but breath-taking all the same. He felt guilty all of a  sudden, as though he was looking through someone's diary and should probably stop before-

 

The ones in colour were far more true-to life, capturing the sparkle in his eyes when he laughed and the lines that crinkled them. The level of detail was awe-inspiring and Louis felt paralysed looking at them, as though he had a bright, colourful mirror-image of himself looking back.

 

"What are you doing?"

 

The voice came from behind him, deep and thick with accusation. Louis felt blind-sided, his whole being felt alien as he turned and stared at Harry, mouth slack.

 

"They were-I didn't-"

 

Harry walked slowly by him and gathered up his pages, shutting them safely back within the covers of his book. His teeth were clenched and his cheeks were flushed and Louis-

 

Louis grasped his wrist gently and implored him with soft eyes.

 

"You got the colour of my eyes just right," he said.

 

Harry shook his head, lips pressing together.

 

"They're not as blue as yours."

 

Louis turned in towards him, head tilting curiously to the side. Liam's advice came back to him in that moment. He rubbed his thumb gently on the inside of Harry's wrist.

 

"You don't seem to be scared of anyone but me," he observed. "And that prick the other day of course, but he doesn't count..."

 

Harry smirked, twisting to peek at Louis.

 

"You-You're so nice to look at," Harry expressed quietly, cheeks flaming. "From the start, I knew I wouldn't be able to-because you're so-"

 

Louis blinked.

 

"Harry, what are you on about?" He countered, voice equally soft. "You're gorgeous."

 

Harry stared at him, confusion written across the creases above his brow.

 

"I-"

 

Louis reached up to cup his cheek, tip-toeing to brush gentle lips to Harry's mouth.

 

Harry stopped trying to talk and stilled, swallowing before licking his lips and parting them again.

 

"You-"

 

Louis let go of his wrist to anchor himself, sliding his arm around Harry's waist as he rose to his toes again, curving his hand around Harry's neck this time to encourage him to bend. Harry's lips were warm and plush and he was breathing, just breathing while Louis grazed them but-

 

"Mmm," Harry's resolve broke then and he curled lower; arms going around Louis' waist as he sank into the kiss, lips hesitant and curious at first and then settling into a hungry ownership that took Louis by surprise.

 

He pulled away as Harry's hand slipped down to paw his ass.

 

"There's the bear in you," he teased as Harry smiled slowly; his shyness evaporating.

 

"You're you though," he said, like that made sense.

 

Louis smiled, too.

 

"Never a truer word spoken..."

 

Harry stepped back; the oven timer indicating that Louis' dinner was ready to be served.

 

"Um...I'm just going to-" Harry pointed into the hall. "Wash up."

 

Louis nodded and wandered over to the oven to rescue his dinner.

 

//

 

"He kissed me."

 

Harry was skyping with Niall at the end of week three.

 

"Oh, aye," Niall winked. "And?"

 

"He saw my drawings," Harry's brows drew together worriedly.

 

"Did he think you were weird?"

 

Harry frowned. Louis hadn't said anything about being uncomfortable with his pictures. In fact, for the three days since seeing them, he had encouraged Harry to do more art.

 

"No, I don't think so."

 

"See. He likes ya," Niall assured.

 

Harry swallowed, fiddling with his hands.

 

"Does he still cuddle ya?" Niall checked then, concerned.

 

"Yeah," Harry looked up, face earnest. "He's been great, it's just-"

 

"You don't want to come back home," Niall mused with a laugh.

 

Harry smiled wanly but it didn't make his eyes.

 

"He hasn't kissed me again," Harry whispered furtively, checking behind him just in case.

 

Niall made  a face.

 

"What's stopping _you_ then?"

 

"I-I'm not-"

 

"Not what?" Niall demanded.

 

"Very good at it?" Harry offered.

 

Niall spluttered out a huff of laughter.

 

"Think Louis might disagree with ya."

 

Harry smiled at his friend, taking a breath and changing the subject.

 

"How's your Mum doing now?"

 

He let Niall's busy chatter wash over him.

 

//

 

Harry had sketched two more pictures of Louis. He'd left them on the kitchen table in full view, he'd cuddled him extra-tender for the last two nights. He didn't understand why Louis wasn't kissing him.

 

"Lou?"

 

He decided he had to take the matter into his own hands; sat with one foot under him at the kitchen table one morning in his blue and red shorts and white tee-shirt, Louis in his work wear and rushing to make a travel-mug of coffee.

 

"Yeah?" Louis called over, distracted as he poured milk into his cup from the plastic carton in the fridge.

 

"Why haven't you kissed me again?"

 

Louis' brows lifted and his hands paused on fitting the lid to his mug, his gaze drawing over to where Harry sat, pinching his big toe.

 

"Honestly?" Louis asked, voice quiet.

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Honestly. I left two drawings of you out and-"

 

"I saw," Louis turned away from the kitchen counter to look at him, but didn't move to be closer.

 

Harry guessed he'd have to do the staging, then. He got up and paused in front of Louis.

 

"Have I got your eyes right yet?"

 

Louis' lips quirked but he didn't smile.

 

"They looked perfect to me in the first picture."

 

"Does it freak you out?" Harry asked next, quickly.

 

Louis' lips fell open.

 

"No! _Harry_ ," he pleaded, taking his hands gently in his and holding them. "Please don't ever think that-"

 

"What was I meant to think?" He asked pertinently.

 

Louis swallowed.

 

"You were meant to think that I'm trying to take things slow...that I'm trying to not ruin a friendship that's still in its early stages. You were meant to think that I'm being a gentleman about this and waiting to ask you out on a date, properly, when Niall gets back and-"

 

Harry lurched forward, arms folding around Louis as he dipped his head to kiss him; lips prizing his smaller ones open insistently; a soft hum of appreciation burring from his throat as he shuffled up close; pressing Louis into the counter.

 

"You growl, too?" Louis whispered against his ear as Harry moved his mouth to press kisses along Louis' jaw, an inherently important move at this moment, obviously.

 

Harry huffed a laugh against his cheek, pressing one more soft, reluctant last kiss to his mouth.

 

"You'll be late for work."

 

Louis collected his travel-mug and accepted his leather satchel from Harry's fingers.

 

"I'll tell them a bear attacked me," he quipped, grinning as he skipped out of the kitchen.

 

//

 

They kissed more often after that.

 

The very same evening Louis kissed him softly goodnight and Harry had woken him with pre-tooth-brushing sleepy, lazy kisses.

 

Louis had even taken him on a date to see Bambi, his favourite film, had cuddled him for the whole two hours and had taken them for dinner after.

 

Harry didn't know what to say when Niall called him after a whole month of living with Louis to tell him he was coming home.

 

He couldn't take more leave from work and his Mum was walking. And Harry had to leave.

 

He'd told Louis the news after knocking on his bedroom door and Louis had invited him in like always.

 

Harry liked that although he and Louis kissed now, they still cuddled and it didn't have to mean something.  He didn't have to worry about things moving too fast.

 

"I might get jealous," Louis said of the news.

 

Harry looked at him.

 

"What?"

 

"Of Niall," he explained.  "He's gets all your cuddles now," he pouted.

 

"Lou, Niall and I-it's not like it is with you..."

 

"Still," Louis sniffed, arms tight around Harry. "Not fair of him to give me you and then take you away. "

 

Harry chuckled at his remark, kissing the pout off his lips.

 

"I'm still yours, Lou."

 

Louis stopped breathing. He... _what_?

 

The noise in his throat was garbled.

 

"If-" Harry looked at him quickly. "If you wanted me to be? If you-"

 

"Absolutely, _yes_ ," Louis breathed before kissing him hotly.

 

Harry groaned and wormed against him in the bed.

 

"So we're going to do this?" He asked just to make sure he hadn't .misinterpreted anything.

 

Louis nodded with a smile.

 

Harry slept with a smile on his face too.

 

//

 

They thought they were being covert. Thought that their feather light finger-touches and brushing of hands wouldn't be seen. They thought their smiles were a secret between them; their magnetic eye-contact something that others wouldn't notice.

 

They thought, when they held hands under the table at dinner with their friends that nobody really knew what was going on. They thought that their burgeoning feelings for each other were private and wholly hidden.

 

They were wrong.

 

"Why don't ya just move back in with Louis?" Niall asked one night when they were all crashed on Liam's sofa; Harry pressed into Louis' side, Louis' arm slouched casually across the back of the sofa.

 

They were messily picking at pizza, Louis sneaking the garlic dough-balls to feed to Harry because he knew he liked them the most.

 

Harry froze from licking the garlicky salt from Louis' finger-tips, his eyes alight as they met Louis' blue ones.

 

"What?" He snapped his head around, chomping on the dough.

 

"Well, not to be rude, but look at ya. It's sick is what it is. And I don't want to be the one who stood in the way of true love..."

 

"It's not -" Harry began and then stopped, swallowing. It maybe was, actually. His heart surged and his chest ached. It _definitely_ was.

 

Louis' arm curled around his shoulders from the back of the sofa.

 

"We're just seeing how it goes," he told his friend. "Taking things slow."

 

"You can do that in the privacy of your own home," Niall snorted.

 

Harry's cheeks burned as he flicked a look to Liam.

 

Liam smiled and looked away to the TV, showing he was supportive in this, but not taking Niall's rather confrontational approach.

 

"You were less moody when Harry was round," Liam offered into the static silence.

 

Louis pinched his thigh.

 

"I was not."

 

"You were!" He held his hands up in surrender. "You liked sleeping with him."

 

It was Louis' turn for his cheeks to flush.

 

"Well, yeah...of course I did. I mean...it's Harry isn't it?"

 

His voice had grown exceptionally soft and his hand squeezed Harry's shoulder as Harry twisted to look at him, really look at him as if realising for the first time that Louis liked him.

 

"You-" he said, taking a big breath and letting it out slowly.

 

Louis flicked his eyes between his two friends.

 

"We're together is the thing. You're going to have to get used to us being coupley."

 

Niall arched a brow.

 

"You look like you want to get at it on my dirty sofa..."

 

Liam made a face and tried to push himself further into the arm opposite Harry.

 

"Ew. Can you at least wait until I'm gone?"

 

Louis gasped in outrage.

 

"As if I would touch this sofa, Niall. It smells. Harry's worth far more than this manky old-"

 

Harry cupped Louis' cheek and brought his face around to kiss him; a shaky smile on his lips as he pulled away. Louis blinked, lips parted in surprise.

 

"I'm worth more?"

 

Louis didn't shy away from his feelings.

 

"Yeah," he breathed. "You are."

 

Niall chuckled to himself.

 

"Hence _why_ , Niall," he directed his words back to the brunette Irish lad. "I would never get at it on this sofa. Ever."

 

"Not even if it was the last sofa on earth?" Liam piped up.

 

Louis glared at him as Harry tucked more closely into his side and Louis wound his arm around his waist instead.

 

"The ground would still be preferable," Louis mused, his other arm coming around Harry to loop together to cuddle him. "Don't listen to these heathens," he murmured to Harry.

 

Harry could only smile and try not to let his happy tears slide down his cheeks for fear that Louis would think he was crying for another reason, for being upset. He let his fingers curl into Louis' hoodie and comforted himself in his arms.

 

//

 

 

"Oh...oh, wow."

 

Louis' hand- his palm to be exact- had pressed against the front of Harry's jeans and Harry's body was responsive to the touch, half-hard anyway from their fervent kissing when they'd got home from their second date.

 

Harry still hadn't caved into pressure from Niall to move back in with Louis but he stayed over when they went out; kissing and talking until the sun came up.

 

Tonight, something had shifted.

 

He'd worn his see-through black shirt and his tightest black jeans and it had worked, Louis' hand was on him and his thigh was between his and if he tilted his hips up then-

 

The noise from his throat was nearing embarrassing. Trouble was, he was too caught up in the moment to care.

 

"Baby, so hard for me," Louis murmured against his ear, somehow knowing by instinct that Harry liked that, liked hearing his raspy voice telling him all the things he noticed about him.

 

"Lou."

 

It was choked and breathy, barely a hot whisper falling into Louis' hair. Louis answered the plea and sucked a mark into his throat, hand pushing up against the ridge in his jeans.

 

"Be so hot to watch you come like this," Louis smirked against his skin, licking his collar-bone.

 

He felt the stud of his jeans loosen, heard the zipper pulling down tooth by tooth. It was taking so long. Why was it taking so long?

 

"Can I?" Louis asked, the back of his fingers brushing over Harry's surging erection, trapped in his boxer-briefs.

 

" _Please_. Yes," he gasped.

 

He was innately aware of the fact he wasn't giving any pleasure to Louis in return but Louis' position close to him told him Louis was more than happy with the situation, his hot bulge pressing into the top of Harry's thigh.

 

"Look at you...oh god," Louis' voice went high-pitched and breathless as he nudged the waistband of his underwear away and wrapped his fingers around Harry's heat.

 

"I'm sorry," he squeezed his eyes shut and flexed his palms against Louis' ass, lamenting the place they had fallen when Louis had all but pinned him to the wall in the hallway.

 

"What the fuck for," Louis pulled his shirt to one side to tongue over his nipple, thumb pressing roughly into the other at the same time.

 

"Oh-oh, Lou!"

 

He pushed his hips forward, dick sliding through Louis' fingers and a fountain of wet, sticky semen shot up between their clothed bodies. Louis kissed his chest as he gasped for air and slowly came down; body shuddering in little after-shocks.

 

"Do you always come like that?" Louis asked, softly.

 

Harry swallowed. He had near blacked-out from the intensity of his orgasm, he hated the idea it had turned Louis off somehow.

 

"I'm-I'm not sure..."

 

Louis looked up into his eyes, reaching for a kiss.

 

"You're so beautiful, Harry," one hand curled around his ear.

 

Harry stared at him, body shaking.

 

"Can I make you come, too?"

 

Louis smirked.

 

"You're telling me you missed it?"

 

Harry frowned as Louis stepped back to show the front of his jeans. There was no erection housed there, now, just a faint darkening of the denim. He pouted.

 

"But I didn't-What do you sound like?"

 

Louis grinned at him, tucking him gently back into his underwear.

 

"You can find out another day," he promised, taking Harry's hand gently and leading him to his room.

 

//

 

"Move out."

 

Harry narrowed his eyes at Niall as he mooched into the apartment; newspaper in his hand that he'd been reading on the walk home. It was a Sunday and the sun was out.

 

"Thanks. Who're you planning to have replace me, then?"

 

"A beautiful red-head called Siobhan," Niall quipped easy as anything. "Just as soon as I get her to agree to date me then I'm on the road to success, buddy..."

 

Harry bit his lip, sliding the paper onto the table as he walked toward Niall at the counter who was making fruit salad.

 

"Ni. Am I ignoring you?" He worried. "Do you feel neglected?"

 

Niall spluttered, his hand coming back to smack Harry in the stomach.

 

"Fuck off. I just want you to be happy, that's all. And I know you miss Louis."

 

Harry blinked a couple of times and sat down, feet curling up onto the bar of the chair, off the floor.

 

"He hasn't asked me," he said quietly, clearing his throat in the hope of clearing the emotions that were attached to that statement.

 

Niall twisted.

 

"What?"

 

"And don't say anything to him," he added quickly, to Niall's roll of his eyes.

 

"Why not? He needs a nudge."

 

"It's been two months, Ni. People don't-"

 

"People _do_ ," Niall insisted hotly. "And who cares if it's two days or two months? You like him."

 

"I do," Harry nodded.

 

"Then ask him," Niall commanded.

 

"Look, I can't just-"

 

"Why not?" Niall cut in, smug and superior.

 

Harry bit his lip again, uncertain.

 

"Because it's Louis and what if he doesn't want to? What if-if he wants his own space and then he'll think we can't be together because we want different things and it'll be ruined Niall. It'll all be ruined."

 

Harry's unhappy face tilted upwards and Niall moved to hug him.

 

"Hey. What if he's thinking the same?" He pointed out. "And he's too afraid to ask? What then?"

 

Harry looked at him for a longer moment.

 

"You think he's scared?"

 

Niall went back to his fruit with a huff.

 

"He thinks you're God, Harry. Of course he's scared."

 

"But I'm not even-I'm not-"

 

"Not what?" Niall challenged.

 

"Good enough," Harry whispered, furrows drawing between his brows as he focused on the table top. "He's so pretty and nice and..."

 

"And so are you," Niall called cheerfully. "Nicest, prettiest fucker I've met."

 

"Apart from Louis," Harry added sullenly.

 

Niall turned and gave him a little cheeky smile.

 

"Ask him. And then move out." He said.

 

Harry got up to help chop the fruit.

 

//

 

He'd given Louis a blowjob. He'd watched him come apart, piece by piece, had kissed every inch of him and admired the rest. He'd heard, in surround sound audio, exactly what Louis sounded like when he came. Gasping and high-pitched. Beautiful, really.

 

They'd laid together after, naked and overlapping; gentle fingers brushing soft finger-tip touches over skin and through hair. Louis had a fascination with his happy-trail apparently.

 

"So."

 

Louis' voice was hoarse, probably from shouting so much during their foreplay. Harry looked up, the top of his head skimming Louis' chin. He kissed his jaw in apology.

 

"So?"

 

"Niall's idea the other night."

 

It was a sentence on it's own, no question or suggestion. Harry wasn't sure what to say.

 

"Hm?"

 

"You know about..." He heard Louis swallow, eyes flicking to his throat to catch the movement. He felt his body stir at the suggestion. "Living together," he finally blurted.

 

Harry's arm tightened around his middle.

 

"Oh. That."

 

"Yeah, that," Louis' hand settled at the back of his head, fingers burrowing into the soft curls. "What did you think?"

 

Harry wasn't expecting to be asked outright how he felt about it. He wasn't prepared for an answer to lie, to pretend he didn't want it. So he only had the truth and the courage in his heart to tell it.

 

"I like the idea," he said, holding his breath.

 

"You do?" Louis looked down at him as Harry looked up. Their eyes met.

 

"I liked living here," he expressed. "In a way I-"

 

Louis leaned down to kiss him, soft and sweet.

 

"In a way, you?"

 

"Didn't want to leave," one corner of his lips quirked up, eyes averting across the room. "I didn't want to leave," he said again more surely, to make sure Louis heard.

 

Louis breathed for long moments. Harry watched the steady rise and fall of his chest, heard the manic patter of his heart which opposed the calmness of his breathing.

 

"So you'd think about it?" Louis finally ventured.

 

Harry shifted, nuzzling his nose, looking at him with crossed eyes while Louis' fingers in his hair found his ear and stroked it tenderly.

 

"I'd move in tomorrow if you asked," he admitted. "I was waiting for you to ask."

 

Louis' eyes went wide and he opened his mouth.

 

"Why didn't you say anything? I was scared it was too soon or that you liked Niall's better and-"

 

Harry smirked, kissing him with a low growl in his throat. Louis opened his legs when Harry's thigh settled between his and he welcomed Harry's body upon his own with a happy hum.

 

"I like _you_ better," Harry said when he pulled away.

 

Louis' eyes crinkled as he began to smile, slow and blinding.

 

"I like you best," he whispered.

 

Harry leaned down to kiss him some more.

 

//

 

 

When Louis took him, it was tender and sweet, just like the man Harry had come to know.

 

He'd instigated proceedings by insisting Louis bare himself completely and he'd told him how nice his dick was.

 

Louis had accused him of using that line with all the guys. Harry had responded with;

 

"Can I kiss it?"

 

Now he secured his arms around Louis' shoulders; knees braced around his hips and rocked back on the thickness of him; relishing the heat.

 

"Oh. Oh, Lou..."

 

Louis bent his knees up so that his thighs supported Harry's buttocks; used his hands to glide over Harry's skin and tug gently on his ears.

 

"Need cuddles, little bear?" Louis asked, voice low and teasing making his words sound filthy despite their innocent connotation.

 

Harry sank down and let the stretch of Louis' heat flutter over him; warm and pleasurable.

 

"Mmm."

 

"C'mere," Louis sat up a bit, buffering his back with pillows so he could slide his arms around Harry and haul him closer; bodies only inches apart.

 

He kissed him too, long and deep. Harry worked himself over Louis' thick heat, grinding back on him as their kisses heated.

 

"Baby," Louis panted, lips pressing desperately to Harry's throat and biting, sucking a mark that everyone would see.

 

"Yours, Louis," Harry panted, arms tightening around his shoulders as Louis tried to get them as close as they could be.

 

"Only if you want to be," Louis muttered, his breathy words giving way to high whines that signalled his peak had been reached and his hands gently lifted Harry as he came inside him; intimate and claiming, somehow.

 

Harry kissed him; Louis' hand tightening around him to bring him to the edge, his muscles fluttering as he came hard; over both their bodies. Louis carefully slipped out after that; carefully curled from the bed to fetch warm clothes and to clean them up enough to lay together in post-orgasm bliss.

 

Harry couldn't stop smiling, the warm burn of muscle-stretch evident when he clenched inside. He loved feeling Louis in him that way; even after they'd made love.

 

"Want to be yours," he said in a  deep, sleep-addled voice, eyes soft and bright; olive green.

 

Louis kissed his swollen lips.

 

"Want you to be."

 

"Boyfriend." Harry smirked.

 

"Been calling you that for weeks," Louis admitted with a secret smile.

 

"I know," Harry smiled back.

 

Louis' eyes flicked to him.

 

"Mark congratulated me the other day," he mused of Louis' neighbour. "Said it made sense since you'd told him I'd be moving back in. They thought we'd had a fight."

 

Louis didn't try and hide his love for Harry in his soft, fond smile.

 

"We would never fight," he denied amusedly.

 

Harry arched a brow, ear twitching.

 

"Only when you leave your dirty socks lying around."

 

"Or you clog the bathroom drain with your fur," Louis countered quickly.

 

Harry's face went slack, surprise lighting his features.

 

"Lou, why didn't you say something?"

 

Louis grinned against his lips, sucking a kiss from them.

 

"Because I made it up. I hate that I have bad habits and you're just too adorable to care about anything that might otherwise be annoying..."

 

Harry wriggled a bit under him, huffing out a breath. Louis felt it puff across his face.

 

"Maybe I like you enough to accept your bad habits."

 

"Maybe I love you," Louis posed in return.

 

Harry's eyes darted to his.

 

"Maybe?" His lips began to pout, that concerned frown digging above his brows.

 

"Oh hush," Louis whispered, kissing him softly. "You know I'm completely and utterly in love with you, with no way out," he stated.

 

Harry blinked.

 

"I didn't know that until now."

 

Louis pressed another kiss into his lips.

 

"Now you know."

 

Harry rolled over, shifting to cup Louis' cheek, his leg sliding between Louis' comfortably.

 

"I love you too, you know."

 

Louis looked him in the eye and knew it was true.

 

"Thank god for that then, or this could have been really awkward..."

 

His heart was thudding hard in his chest, the relief of knowing Harry felt the same way somewhat overwhelming for his poor, unsuspecting body. The worst case scenario was hearing Harry admit he didn't love Louis at all, that he liked him an awful lot but it just wasn't working out. His mid-way expectation was that Harry didn't say anything back, too soon in their relationship to express how he felt. He hadn't prepared enough for a best-case scenario.

 

"Louis?"

 

Louis rolled onto his side so they could relax together.

 

"Hm?"

 

"I think I've loved you for a long time..."

 

Louis smiled, slow and crinkly-eyed.

 

"Yeah?"

 

Harry nodded.

 

"Since I told you I'm a hybrid koala."

 

Louis thought back to that day, early on in their arrangement and how he had assured Harry that he wasn't annoying in the least.

 

"Still think I'm cute?" Harry asked then, lips lifting hopefully in one corner.

 

Louis gathered him close and pressed a loving kiss to his forehead.

 

"Very cute. The cutest."

 

Harry huffed out a breath against his neck.

 

"And I'm not a nuisance? Not at all?"

 

Louis tightened his arms.

 

"The opposite of a nuisance, whatever that is."

 

"Not a nuisance?" Harry supplied lowly.

 

Louis laughed.

 

"A pleasure," he decided. "An absolute delight."

 

Harry smiled into his skin, settling into place in his arms and they stayed like that until they drifted into sleep.

 

//

 

"Thank fuck. Finally," Niall lugged Harry's boxes from the apartment and into the van Louis had hired.

 

"Come on, Ni," he goaded. "You'll miss him."

 

"Yeah," Harry pouted, bringing another box to slide into the back of the van. "Don't be mean."

 

"Miss ya?" Niall smacked his ass in passing, making Harry jump. "I'm lookin' forward to wanking on the sofa and being able to leave crisp crumbs on the carpet.

 

Louis made a face, trekking back for more stuff.

 

"Remind me not to sit on the sofa when I next come by..."

 

"You don't need to come by," Niall announced. "Harry's yours now."

 

Harry paused in the middle of the lawn, uncertainty suddenly striking him. Had he been a burden to Niall, too? He'd never made him feel like he had but-- People could lie. They could hide things.

 

He shot a look to Louis, his stomach suddenly swooping.

 

What if Louis felt that way a few months down the line? What if he was making a huge mistake?

 

"Hey," Niall stood in front of him and grasped his shoulder. "I didn't mean it, okay. I fuckin' love ya and I'll miss havin' ya around, alright?"

 

Harry blinked, lower lip protruding.

 

"Now come on, don't pout," Niall pulled him into a hug. "I was just being a dick."

 

"You told me to live with Louis," he said.

 

Niall chuckled.

 

"Because I know you two belong together. Not because I want to lose you. Honest," he added at the end, heartfelt and emotional.

 

Harry reciprocated his hug.

 

"Alright, then," he sighed, getting his fill of Niall's smell while he had his last chance to do so.

 

"Am I dumped then?" Louis called lightly as he passed the hugging pair. "I get the furniture, you get Niall?"

 

Harry straightened, biting his lip even though Niall had reassured him. When Louis came back up the path, he stopped, grasping Harry's wrist in gentle fingers.

 

"Haz? You okay? You can change your mind you know..."

 

"Have you changed _your_ mind?" Harry shot back at him, narrowing his eyes accusingly.

 

Louis smiled, shook his head.

 

"Never," he promised.

 

"What if we argue?" He wondered quietly. "Like not now but in six months or a year...what if-"

 

"Shh," Louis crowded closer and circled his arms around Harry's waist. "It's ok. If we argue, we'll make up...good plan?"

 

Harry swallowed, a lightness suddenly filling him, tugging at the corners of his mouth.

 

"How will you make it up to me?"

 

Louis arched a brow.

 

"Excuse me? Who's to say I'm going to be the one in the wrong?"

 

"You always are," Niall inserted as he bounced past them with Harry's belongings.

 

"Who asked you?" Louis called, then looked back to Harry.

 

"I'd make you pancakes for breakfast with a  little smiley face made out of fruit," Harry offered as his back-up plan.

 

Louis twisted his lips.

 

"Fruit, yuk, but okay, I like the sentiment....I would pick some wild flowers off the lawn and put them in a  little vase so you could make a flower crown," he smiled hopefully.

 

"Lou," Harry whined, bending to kiss him, smudging their lips together and licking into his mouth as Louis quickly caught up, opening his mouth for the duel.

 

"Jesus, you're not even _in_ the place yet," Niall tutted as he walked past.

 

Louis couldn't help his grin, pulling back from Harry.

 

"Let's get done quickly?" He suggested.

 

Harry's answering dimpled smile was nowhere as innocent as it should have been.


End file.
